glenda.ayla Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Hi there, not sure if anyone knows what this is, have been trying to find info on the internet but so far nothing close. Our tank is the first on the sump system and hasn't spread to the other tanks and has been shut off from the rest. Killed off all the guppies and the long fin bristlenoses, plus snails seem to be dieing when on the bottom. Feels like a sludgey texture, is black and within a couple of weeks covered the substrate. Seem to have layer about an inch above, when you put your hand in it stirs it up, maybe like a gas sitting under the water. Ammonia came back stress level, others on the same sump are all safe. Added a whole heap of snails thinking they might eat whatever it is, but seem to hang above the line and other dead on the bottom. here is a link to some photo's http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b60 ... d5f19f.jpg http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b60 ... 4f61f9.jpg http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b60 ... aa96b0.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 There are many names for it. Crap, sludge, muck, mulm, poo, gunk, mud, guck... It's all the organic waste and old rotten food in your tank, it's unlikely to be directly killing anything but the volume of it is likely a symptom of what probably is killing them. Judging from just the pics that would be insufficient filtration and water changes plus probably overfeeding. Do some water changes, vacuum it out. http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Mulm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 I would suspect a cyano outbreak - and some cyanobacteria are toxic especially to snails. If it is mulm then it could be hypoxia (lack of oxigen) that is killing snails and fish as the bacteria trying to break it down will be using it all up. either way water changes, vacuum, more flow and less feeding will all help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenda.ayla Posted March 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 The tank has been empty of fish for a couple of weeks so there has been no feeding and has still spread over the substrate it is only covering the stone which are a bronze colour but look black from this stuff. We have over 50 tanks and none of the others have this and they all have good water flow. There are 5 tanks on this sump and this is the only one to have it and also has the stongest flow since it is the first to get the water off the pipe. Will do some research on cyano as we have never had this happen before and have been keeping fish for years. We are going to do a water change but left it before we gave it a good vacuum out so that it would be more evident for the photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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